Lost in thought I found myself standing in Place de Molènes. A small square it held a quiet charm. It was tucked away in La Varenne Saint Hilaire a part of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés. This unassuming square is part of a larger history. It is a history deeply connected to Saint-Maur-des-Fossés itself.
The area’s name Saint-Maur-des-Fossés originates from Saint-Maur Abbey. Founded in 638 the abbey stood near moats. These moats protected an ancient Celtic oppidum and later a Roman castrum. The abbey’s location at the Marne river’s loop was strategic. The river wound around a rocky outcrop. This is the same location where Place de Molènes now stands.
The abbey was not always dedicated to Saint Maurus. It began as Saint Pierre des Fossés. The abbey’s name changed after a drought. Prayers to the Virgin Mary Saints Peter and Paul failed. Prayer to Saint Maurus brought the needed rain. The abbey was then rededicated. Saint Maurus’s relics became famous. Pilgrims came seeking cures for gout and epilepsy. Saint-Maur-des-Fossés became a major pilgrimage site.
The abbey’s later history involves a chateau. This chateau built on the abbey’s site was designed by Philibert Delorme. He designed it for Cardinal Jean du Bellay. Catherine de Medici frequented the chateau. She preferred it to the Château de Vincennes. She even acquired it. She had it substantially rebuilt.
A significant event happened within the chateau’s walls. In 1568 King Charles IX issued the Edict of Saint-Maur. This edict prohibited all religions except Catholicism. The edict fueled religious intolerance in Paris. It directly contributed to the St Bartholomew’s Day massacre in 1572.
The chateau’s fate was sealed during the French Revolution. It was nationalised emptied and demolished. Only the materials from its demolition were deemed valuable. The chateau is gone. Only traces remain.
The small village that grew around the abbey flourished. It developed a market in the thirteenth century. The commune’s name changed several times. It was temporarily named Vivant-sur-Marne during the Revolution. The name Saint-Maur-des-Fossés was restored later to reclaim its history.
Place de Molènes a quiet square. Its history is rich and layered. It whispers stories of a devout past. It also speaks of royal power and religious conflict. It is a small reminder of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés’s long and fascinating journey. It stands as a testament to time’s passage in this corner of Paris.